A Cuban citizen identified as Alberto "N" was sentenced to six months in prison for the crime of robbery with violence in Tapachula, in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, four months after being apprehended for stealing a cash register from a store and threatening the owner with a knife when he attempted to stop him.
The sentence was issued through an expedited procedure before the Mexican judicial authorities, as reported by local media.
The events occurred last April, when the man entered a store dedicated to selling tarps, located at 8th North Avenue, in the 5 de Febrero neighborhood, and took a metal cash register that contained more than 2,000 Mexican pesos, corresponding to the day's earnings.
The owner of the establishment caught him while he was trying to escape. According to the case report, Alberto "N" then pulled out a knife with a wooden handle and a metal blade about 15 centimeters long that he had at waist level, and threatened the merchant to prevent him from holding him back.
Despite the threat, the owner followed the suspect and called for help upon spotting a patrol passing through the area.
The agents were able to intercept the Cuban and, during the inspection, found in his possession the cash register, the stolen money, and the knife allegedly used to threaten the merchant. He was caught in the act and placed at the disposal of the authorities.
The operation involved personnel from the Secretariat of Public Security of Chiapas, including the Immediate Reaction Force Pakal, the State Preventive Guard, and the State Border Guard, along with agents from the State Attorney General's Office, the Navy, and the Municipal Police.
Six months of imprisonment and alternative penalties
Four months after the arrest, the case reached a hearing for abbreviated procedures, a mechanism provided for in the Mexican judicial system whereby the accused accepts responsibility and waives the oral trial in exchange for an expeditious resolution that may involve a reduced sentence.
On Wednesday, the judge issued a sentence of six months in prison and the payment of a fine.
The resolution also includes benefits that would allow for the substitution of prison time, among which are community service, semi-liberty, and the option to replace the prison sentence with the payment of a monetary fine.
Cubans stranded at the southern border of Mexico
The case occurs amid a complex migration situation in Tapachula, a city that has become a focal point for thousands of migrants, including many Cubans, who are facing difficulties in regularizing their status and continuing their lives in Mexico.
Since early 2026, Tapachula also became one of the main points for the arrival of Cubans deported from the United States under the immigration policy of the Donald Trump administration.
Human Rights Watch documented 4,353 Cubans deported to Mexico between January 20, 2025, and March 9, 2026. Many were left in Mexican territory facing difficulties related to their documentation, employment opportunities, and options for shaping their migratory future.
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